Falling For You
by RavenclawGirl714
Summary: Snape was having a bad day when he fell into the trick stair, and it's about to get worse when Hermione Granger falls on top of him, but will it end up the best day of his life when it ends? HGSS
1. Literally Falling

A/N: This story is dedicated to my mother, who has as big a crush on Snape as I do! Just think.... if she married him, I could be his daughter. But wait! You can't marry your stepfather! Curses, there's always a catch. Anyways, on with the story.  
  
Chapter One:  
  
Snape sat brooding in his office. He had just finished teaching a class of first years and it was his lunch break. As if he felt like eating. He gazed at the cold, damp stone wall and let his mind wander. He thought about the reason why he went to death eater gatherings to spy for Dumbledore. It was the only thing he felt was useful that he could do. Nobody would care if he died (including himself), so he might as well risk his neck. That was probably what everybody would see in the Mirror of Erised, his dead body.  
  
He was snapped out of his stupor by the sounds of students tromping to their classes. Why couldn't they behave like humans instead of small elephants? He glided out into his chilly dungeon classroom, thinking he'd rather be teaching first years than these annoyingly impudent seventh years, especially that Ms. Granger.  
  
Suddenly, he heard a scream. He slinked out to investigate, afraid that one of those first years had finally managed to kill themselves. He walked in the direction of the commotion. From the bottom of the staircase he saw one of the Slytherin third years was jinxing a Hufflepuff first year. As he strode up to break up the squabble, he forgot about the third stair from the bottom that vanished on Fridays. Guess what day it was?  
  
He fell through the stair with a quite audible curse word and crumpled to a heap on the floor of the tiny chamber. Reaching for his wand, he tried every spell he knew to get the stair open again. None worked, so he decided to sit down and rest. Today was going really wonderful. He scowled in the darkness and murmured, "This is as bad as it gets." He didn't realize how wrong he was...  
  
Hermione Granger was on her way to potions class right after lunch. She hurried down the staircase, remembering to jump over the third stair from the bottom, remembering that today was Friday. She was exhausted after pulling an all-night study. She was already at the end of her rope today and she felt that if one more thing happened she would blow up. Ron was being so annoying at lunch today, teasing her about her former crush on Professor Snape that ended in her third year, four years ago.  
  
Suddenly, she felt a tug on her bag and whipped around to see Draco Malfoy running up the stairs with her arithmancy book! She raced after him, but in her haste she forgot about the trick stair. With a small yelp she tumbled into that same chamber, right on top of Severus Snape. As the chamber was about the size of two people and nothing else, you can imagine that it was pretty close quarters.  
  
"Oh crap! I'm going to be late for Potions!" Hermione said aloud. Snape turned to face the girl, realized who it was, and said, "Well, Miss Granger, since I am here I shall remember to take 5 points from Gryffindor after the bell rings. What delightful company, the Hogwarts resident know- it-all."  
  
Before she could stop herself, Hermione retorted, "And I am equally as happy to be in a very small room with a very greasy git. Tell me, Professor, do you use cooking oil or lard in place of shampoo? Judging by the smell, I'd say it was the latter."  
  
She clapped her hands over her mouth in horror of what she just said, but Snape chuckled and said, "Ah, so the lion has a tongue as poisonous as a common garden snake. You'll have to be better then that to outsmart me, so I shall take 10 points off of Gryffindor for your impudent remark. I could stoop to your level by saying that it seems to me that you use garlic paste and vinegar for your dental health products because your breath smells quite vile, but, alas, I shall restrain myself in the thought of preserving my dignity." 


	2. Kidnapped

A/N: CassandraTheEvil, yes ::sheepish grin:: I kinda got the idea from that one, but never fear, it will stray down a completely different path so I don't have my fellow author really really angry. I love that story BTW. Pathatlon, they will get into deeper stuff, don't you worry. Dragonmaster, Aindel, and Moonassasin13, thanks so much! I love your reviews because I know someone actually reads what I write! ::wipes away tear::  
  
Chapter Two:  
  
That snarky git! Hermione was seeing red. She knew he was just baiting her, and if she got mad, she would just be playing into his hands by providing a way for him to take house points from Gryffindor, and she wasn't going to let her classmates down in a moment of hot-headed rage. Trying to calm herself, she counted to ten, took deep breaths, and said, "Sir, perhaps it would be prudent to find a way out instead of bickering like adolescents."  
  
Snape faked a look of surprise as he snarled, "Ah, logic at last. My, my, Hermione, we certainly aren't living up to our classroom standards, are we- "  
  
At that moment he cut off his remark with a sharp intake of breath, and in the dim light, Hermione could see how he clutched his arm where she knew the incriminating brand of the dark mark was present.  
  
Through clenched teeth, Snape groaned, "I have to get out of here! The unlocking and opening spells don't work. I thought that was obvious when alohamora didn't work after the sixth time you cast it, so stop waving your wand about, silly girl."  
  
Hermione was near the breaking point at the end of her rope. Here she is trying to help the man, and all he did was snap at her. Finally she blew up. "Professor Severus Snape," she yelled with a sarcastic accent on the word professor, "I am trying to help you, not force-feed you poison. If you know a better way to get out, than do tell and stop being such a prat! What are you trying to do? Click the heels of your ruby slippers and say 'I want to go home'?"  
  
Snape was fed up. He yelled right back at her saying, "First of all, if you're going to quote, quote correctly. I believe Dorothy said 'there's no place like home.' And second of all, I'm so, so sorry if I offended your poor, wee little mind. I assure you it was the last thing on my agenda, unjustly insulting you while I'm lying here in pain. If you had seen the sense in my earlier statement, you would've thought to stop trying useless methods and start actually thinking. I think Mr. Weasley has been a bad influence on you."  
  
All of a sudden, they heard the sound of feet tramping above them and a bell ringing, signaling the end of class. Immediately, Hermione began to scream for help, while Snape, unheard and unheeded, grumbled, "Quiet, girl! I have a headache."  
  
Professor Flitwick was on his way to the library, looking forward to reading up on how to magically trim nose hair, which had been a problem for him lately, when he heard faint cries for help coming from the trick stair. Honestly, maybe Severus had a point about those first years sometimes. Even after they were warned, they still fell into that stair.  
  
He walked over and bent down to remove the locking wards surrounding the step, and nearly had a heart attack when none other than Miss Granger stepped out, brushing dust off of her disheveled robes. He nearly had a stroke when Severus Snape climbed out right behind her, clutching his forearm in an iron grip.  
  
Snape nodded his thanks to Flitwick and was on his way, but Hermione lingered. After a few minutes of awkward silence, she tentatively ventured, "Thank you, Professor. Could I go see Professor Dumbledore?"  
  
Flitwick nodded and said, "Is it about Severus'-.... Well, is it about Severus?" When Hermione nodded he laid a hand on her shoulder and said in his squeaky tones, "Don't worry, Miss Granger, I'll come with you. I think we can trust you with this kind of information."  
  
Hermione nodded and they made their way towards the headmaster's office. Flitwick uttered the password and the two trotted quickly up the stairs. When they got there, she was surprised at seeing Dumbledore standing by his door, seemingly awaiting their arrival.  
  
Flitwick, it appeared, shared the same suspicion that the headmaster had, indeed, known of there intentions of visiting him, for he asked, "Albus, were you expecting us?"  
  
Albus Dumbledore sighed, and Hermione noticed how tired he looked. He said, with his startlingly blue eyes devoid of their customary twinkle, "I am afraid so. Miss Granger, your parents... they were abducted by the death eaters. The whole Order is looking for them tirelessly, but there relentless search has turned up no leads. I am truly sorry."  
  
A/N: Ooooooh! Cliffie! Also, I thought last chapter was a little bit too short, so I tried to make this one longer. Whadda ya think? 


	3. Mistake?

A/N: The Queen of Ravenclaw hereby decrees that all uncapitalized Death Eaters shall be banished in this and future chapters! Thanks Aindel! Sorry, watched 'The Prince And Me' at the dollar theatre today. Thankies and cookies to all my new little review bunnies: silentcobra and elvinscarf! Double cookies and a brownie go to all returning reviewers!!! P.S. Snape might be acting a bit OOC but just think of it as him showing his real self behind the cold classroom mask.  
  
Chapter Three:  
  
This news stunned Hermione better than a spell, or even the Draught of Living Death. All the time she was fighting Voldemort she felt that he couldn't touch her or her family. She mentally slapped herself. No muggle or muggleborn had immunity from Voldemort, and not many muggles returned from his snake-like coils.  
  
As Albus Dumbledore flooed someone, she closed her eyes and thought of all the times her parents had been there for her. She was so scared the first day of school, so her father walked in with her and helped her make her first friend. At her first flute concert, Hermione's mother brought her flowers and helped calm her jittery stomach.  
  
They had helped her so many times, and what had she done in return? Run off without them to some school in rural Scotland! Unconsciously a tear squeezed itself out of her clenched eyelids and meandered down her cheek lazily. She felt a gentle hand wipe it off and immediately thanked them from her drilled-in manners, another thing her mother gave her.  
  
Still not opening her eyes, she slumped down upon the man standing in front of her and began to sob unrestrainedly into his robes, under the impression that he was Dumbledore.  
  
Severus Snape was reading 'Potions Today,' a very interesting article about antidotes, when Dumbledore's head appeared in the fireplace. Snape looked up at the headmaster through the crackling flames and said, "Careful, Albus. Your beard's getting sooty."  
  
Professor Dumbledore pulled his beard back out of the offending mess, cleared his throat, and began speaking. "Thank you, Severus, but I come to you under a pressing circumstance, flying in the face of soiled facial hair. I told Miss Granger of the news you brought from the last meeting. You'd better come explain further. In keeping with recent events, she has the right to know. Are you sure you don't know where her parents are?"  
  
Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, sensing the impending migraine. He wearily said, "For the last time, Albus, I have no idea. I'll be right there."  
  
Dumbledore's head disappeared from the grate, and Snape followed. As he stepped out of the fireplace, he noticed the Granger girl was crying. He felt so bad for her then, knowing what it felt like to have his own parents taken by Voldemort. The only reason he was so hard on her in class was that Voldemort would get suspicious if he started handing out candy to Gryffindor muggleborns.  
  
Snape decided that nobody would know if he comforted her a bit, because they were, as Dumbledore said, under pressing circumstances. He gently brushed the tear away, and nearly pulled away as the distraught young witch hugged him and bawled.  
  
It had been so long since Severus comforted someone, he had almost forgotten how. He awkwardly patted her on the head until she calmed down. 


	4. Apprenticeship

A/N: For all of you who could not guess, yes, my mother reviewed, hence 'motherofauthor.' Thanks mom! And to so-called Amethyst etc., since when do you have the authority to take privileges??? Also, the one time I called you nobody was there. P.S. From Monday to Friday I'll be away at 4- H Rock Eagle Camp, where there are no computers. I will, however, take my notebook, churn out some chapters, and type them up when I get home! Please forgive me!!! (I will make these chapters longer)  
  
Chapter Four:  
  
Hermione took several deep breaths to collect herself, embarrassed after her spontaneous outbreak. Only then did she become aware that she was hugging someone wearing black robes, and not Dumbledore's usual violet.  
  
"Oh my God! I-I-I'm s-s-sorry, Professor," she stuttered, backing away from Snape and looking as if she would rather be anywhere on this earth except in Dumbledore's Office. She was about to dash through the doorway when she felt a hand on her shoulder stopping her.  
  
"It's all right, Miss Granger. If anyone could sympathize with you, it's Severus. He has been through the same situation as you are going through. His parents were taken by Death Eaters when he was about your age." Dumbledore tried to comfort the worried and humiliated girl.  
  
Snape, on the other hand, did not appreciate this bit of personal history recounted to the Granger girl, of all people. He stood up and said forcefully, "Albus, I demand that you stop right there. That information is private. I thought that I could trust you not to tell anyone except those who needed to know."  
  
Dumbledore nodded and said, "Calm down, my boy. You can trust me, and Miss Granger needs to know that she has somebody who suffered the same losses as she did, a mentor even. I understand that she has shown quite a bit of promise in your area of expertise, and you happened to be in need of an apprentice. I think that that particular dilemma can be solved right away, considering that this could be helpful for both of you. You could have some help, and Miss Granger could earn some credit at the university for an apprenticeship with a highly qualified potions master like yourself. So, what do you say?"  
  
Severus could tell that, judging by the look in Dumbledore's eyes, this was just an order under the façade of a question. Surrendering, he sighed and muttered, "Oh, very well."  
  
Then Dumbledore turned to Hermione, who was looking quite eager at this arrangement, only hindered by the fact that she would be working under her second least favorite teacher, although she had always harbored a deep respect for the man's intelligence. The headmaster glanced at her and asked, "Are these arrangements fine with you, for example, every Saturday at around 9 in the morning?"  
  
Hermione nodded and briskly answered, "Of course I would love to be Professor Snape's apprentice, unless he has any objections. That time is fine for my schedule."  
  
Snape just gave Hermione his trademark classroom glare, but the way he was positioned behind one of Dumbledore's spindly silver instruments, he looked like he was miffed with someone disrupting his process of dislodging a long and thin piece of metal from his nasal cavity, and that succeeded in taking the venom out of his scowl and was frankly just plain funny!  
  
Hermione franticly bit her cheeks trying not to grin, and she was working as hard to control her giggling. Try as she might, she could not restrain from chuckling a bit and smiling. Soon after, she got her facial features back under control, worried about Snape's reaction to her second humiliating outburst, although this being of a completely different nature.  
  
As said Potions Master shifted in his seat menacingly (and in Hermione's point of view, succeeding in his goal of removing the offending piece of metal) Dumbledore came to her rescue saying, "Now, Miss Granger, I know it has been a most trying evening for you. Perhaps it is best to get some rest."  
  
Hermione nodded and scuttled out of the room. Snape, however, did not leave so readily. "Albus, what are you doing? The reason I got rid of my last apprentice was because I was sick of having someone working with me. You know I prefer working alone, and you know I wouldn't have wanted you to disclose that fact from my life, and especially not to a student!"  
  
Albus Dumbledore just tutted and shook his head. "Severus, Severus. You have to forgive yourself and allow people into your life. You can't lock yourself alone in those dungeons forever. Listen to me. Either you give this apprenticeship a try, or I'm buying you a little gray, fluffy kitten."  
  
Dumbledore was amused by the look of abject horror on his colleague's face and sighed at the sight of him leaving the room in a flurry of robes. Maybe this personal interactment would do Snape good. The headmaster had picked an intellectual equal. After all, he could've paired him up with Weasley. 


	5. Confrontations and Intoxications

A/N: I wrote the first half of this chappie at camp. BTW, Eritae, I was there for a week of camp. Have you done the zip line there? It is soooooooo fun! And after what you said about the bench, I couldn't resist sitting on it. It did feel all cold and creepy when I did, but I liked that because it was hot outside and it felt good. After that, I had to repack to drive for 11 hours to my dad's house, which I have done. Sorry I haven't updated in so long, but this extra long chappie is coming to you fresh and hot off the press from Indiana! PS Wacko, I might just weedle in said suggestion in future chapters, or maybe in this one if I can. Thankies to all my kuddly reviewers!  
  
Chapter Five:  
  
Hermione Granger practicly ran to her head girl's room, horrified at what had just transpired. She hugged Professor Snape! She was comforted by the overgrown bat of the dungeons!  
  
She felt a sudden pang of guilt. Why was Snape the only thing on her mind? What was she going to do about rescuing her parents? Wait, maybe Snape could help her. Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that teaching wasn't the only thing Snape was up to around here. She would just have to bite the bullet and ask him on Saturday.  
  
Saturday, which she realized with a start, was tomorrow! What was she going to do? She couldn't face him so soon after what happened earlier. She would never live that down! She started to pace nervously.  
  
After about ten minutes, it was odvious that she wasn't going to fall asleep in the near future. Hermione decided to grab a book and go down to the common room to read. She reached into her bag to grab a book randomly. Low and behold, she pulled out 'Moste Potente Potions,' which she had aquired last summer.  
  
Sighing to herself and taking it down to the common room, she murmered, "Severus bugs me when he's here and even when he's not. That man is such a- "  
  
She was cut off with a familiar voice saying, "Ok, hold up. Since when do you call Snape Severus?!" Harry Potter got up from where he was curled up on the well worn scarlet couch in front of the embers of a dying fire.  
  
Honestly, Hermione couldn't answer his question. The name snuck off her tongue whith out her realization.  
  
Seeing Harry there, knowing that since he hadn't seen her go to bed he decided to wait up for her, sent a fresh torrent of tears cascading down her quivering cheeks. Harry looked startled and quickly pulled her into an embrace, saying, "Are you ok, 'Mione? What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh, Harry," Hermione choked out between sobs, "He has my parents!"  
  
Harry, looking quite confused, cut in saying, "Who? Snape?"  
  
This only caused Hermione to bawl louder, neatly soaking the shoulder of Harry's snitch-adorned flannel pajamas. "No, you imbecile, Voldemort! Voldemort has my my parents! Harry, what am I going to do?"  
  
Harry didn't know how to comfort the distraught female leaning on his shoulder and drenching his jammies with tears. His dillemma was short- lived however, because Hermione spoke up.  
  
"Can I borrow your cloak, Harry? Please! I just need a little time to myself, ok?" Chocolate eyes met emerald when Harry melted and said, "Ok, but promise me, 'Mione, be careful. They attacked your family for a reason. They want you because you're friends with me. I'm sorry that I got you into this mess." He hung his head dejectedly,  
  
Hermione put her hands on Harry's cheeks, pulled his face down so that their noses touched, and whispered forcefully, "Harry James Potter, you listen to me. None of this is your fault. You never asked for it, yet it was dumped on you. I wouldn't trade my friendship with you for the world."  
  
Harry gave a small grin and said, "Thanks. You know I feel the same way for you." At this, Hermione started laughing, first a bit of a giggle, then growing into a massive guffaw. Harry looked indignant and whined, "What?"  
  
"Harry, you have a gigantic piece of spinach from dinner rammed between your teeth. I should be thanking you for cheering me up. I feel much better now!"  
  
Sarcasticly, Harry muttered, "Any time." Then he hugged Hermione and ran to his dorm to get the cloak.  
  
When he returned, Hermione grabbed the cloak, gave him a quick and friendly peck on the cheek, (A/N: don't worry, not HP/HG, those make me sick) and hurried out of the common room.  
  
Before her laughing fit, she was unsure about where she would be going on this midnight journey, but now she knew. It had felt so good to forget. She craved more.  
  
As if on autopilot, her feet traveled the well-known path to the Room of Requirement, where she had spent so many happy times. She had come there tonight with a slightly different goal. She performed the operational steps, and as she opened the door, she beheld a dimly lit chamber with a huge, fluffy couch, a table, and a crate of Jack Daniel's Tennessee finest.  
  
To be completely honest, Hermione Granger had had only one sip of alchohol in her entire life. On New Year's Eve a few years ago, her father had let her try some champagne. One swig sent her tastebuds violently protesting, but she remembered the slight dizzy feeling that afflicted her, considering it to suit her purpose nicely, multiplied of course.  
  
Hermione plopped herself down onto the sofa and grabbed a bottle. Remembering the vile taste of champagne, she cringed how whiskey might taste. As a precautionary measure, she performed a tounge-numbing spell before removing the lid of the bottle.  
  
Her intellect screaming protests and her emotions ignoring them, she chugged the stuff down like a pro. Anybody who saw her would say that she had been drinking for years.  
  
After a formidable number of empty bottles were strewn haphazardly onto the rug around a highly intoxicated and deliriously happy Hogwarts Head Girl, said student made a decision that proved what every health teacher had been trying to broadcast to yawning, oblivious students for years.  
  
She decided to pay the Hogwarts resident Potions Professor a visit and give him a piece of her mind. 


	6. Smooch!

A/N: I am so sorry to put this chapter up so late, but I've been at a friend's house for Fourth of July. I know this chapter is really really short, but I am studying for my Amateur Radio License amongst other things, and I don't have too much time. Longer next time, I promise! Eritae, I'm in my first year as a junior, last year I was a cloverleaf. I don't remember the title to this Evanescence song because I always call it the Purple Sky Song, but as a disclaimer thing, I don't own it. Onward ho!  
  
Chapter Six:  
  
Hermione Granger chugged down one last drop of whiskey and stumbled towards the door, remembering too late that basic physics prevent her from exiting through a closed door. After a brief struggle with the door handle, it relented and allowed her to exit the Room of Requirements, which was now in shambles.  
  
Absentmindedly, she began to sing as she took swaying and unstable steps toward the dungeons.  
  
"I linger in the doorway  
  
of alarm clock screaming monsters calling my name  
  
let me stay  
  
where the wind will whisper to me  
  
where the raindrops as they're falling tell a story  
  
in my field of paper flowers  
  
and candy clouds of lullaby  
  
I lie inside myself for hours  
  
and watch my purple sky fly over me."  
  
As she sang and toted a swinging whiskey bottle, she was completely oblivious to the shadow-like presence of the dreaded potions master, sneering scourge of the dungeons looming over her.  
  
"As fascinating as your imaginatory journeys may be, Miss Granger, you are out of your dormitory hours beyond curfew and you smell worse than a brewery!"  
  
He was startled by her snide remark of, "Up yours, you great bat."  
  
"Miss Granger, that is not an appropriate tone to use when speaking to a teacher! I am shocked at your behavior and deduct ten points from Gryffindor."  
  
Hermione looked unflustered by his reprimand and did something that she was sure to regret after her hangover in the morning.  
  
She turned and looked him in the eye, leaned forward, kissed him lightly on the mouth, and collapsed in his arms, leaving him shocked and very, very confused. 


End file.
